Stocks see downward trend

Share prices on both bourses – Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) – witnessed downward trend in early hours of trading on Sunday amid volatility, the opening trading day of the week. DSEX, the prime index of...

Russia\\\'s actions in Crimea irreversible, but what next?

Whatever be the future possible scenario involving the "West and Russia centering the Ukraine crisis, Russia's "annexation" of Crimea - the autonomous region of Ukraine- seems to be irreversible. Even as United States president Barack Obama and his counterparts from...

Distress signal from hills in CHT

Illegal hill cutting in Bandarban district of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) poses a serious threat to environment as well as life and property of settlers. A photograph published in a local daily last week showed how a bulldozer was demolishing...

Experts skeptical of target on power from renewable energy

Bangladesh has failed to achieve any tangible success in the renewable energy sector as it could add only 2.0 per cent of power to the national grid in this particular area after a decade of efforts. In view of the...

Tk 80b new investment in RMG sector to meet compliance needs

Country's readymade garment (RMG) industry is going to make Tk 80 billion new investments to meet the requirements of full compliance as being demanded by buyers, brands, labour and human rights organizations since Tazreen and Rana Plaza catastrophe, insiders said....

Men behind bidi industry outwit tax officials

Inadequate study and data on bidi industry are making the authorities confused over framing effective fiscal measures to check consumption of health hazardous item. Bidi is also called a common man's 'cigarette'. The bidi industry insiders have been furnishing similar...

Containing Crimean crisis

The leaders of powerful countries of the world have expressed their reaction against Russia's annexation of Crimea through the Hague Declaration of March 24, 2014. Led by US President Barack Obama they took the decision to expel Russia from the...

Size of farms and productivity

From the pure theoretical perspective, it can confidently be argued that farm size and productivity are negatively related. Small farmers are more efficient and productive than large ones. On the empirical side, such relationship has been documented and confirmed by...

Resource shortage hits EEF disbursement

The central bank finds it difficult to finance projects under its Equity and Entrepreneurship Fund (EEF) due to dearth of resources, officials said. About 65 per cent projects under the Fund's ambit are eligible for receiving money, sources concerned said....

Rainwater harvesting, recharging aquifers a must: Dr Shimada

Harvesting rainwater in a larger way and recharging aquifers adequately can help Bangladesh ensure safe drinking water to city dwellers as groundwater was depleting alarmingly due to excessive extraction, said eminent Japanese hydrologist Dr Jun Shimada. He said, besides, the...

Stocks down for 5th week amid shaky confidence

The stock market extended losing streak for the fifth consecutive week that ended Thursday with sluggish trading activities as investors remained shaky amid ongoing volatile market sentiment. The week featured four trading sessions instead of five due to public holiday...

Yunnan governor due today for talks on BCIM corridor

Governor of Yunnan province of China Li Jiheng  arrives in the capital today (Saturday) on a three- day official visit to discuss bilateral cooperation including establishment of the proposed BCIM Economic Corridor. The Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM)-Economic Corridor (EC) working group of...

Hi-Tech Park still a far cry

Hi-Tech Park, to promote country`s information communication technology, is still a far cry as there has been no development in its infrastructure despite initiation of the project 15 years ago. The project, taken in 1999, was designed to be developed...

Asian miracle - a story of rising wages and wealth

Asian hi-tech innovation, amplified by a growing appetite for research and development, is about to transform the region. Much of the first phase of the Asian miracle has been driven by the production of high-tech goods - the tens of...

A historical sketch of our jute industry

Bangladesh industrial economy gained 65 per cent of the capacity owned and managed by the Pakistanis after the liberation war. This caused serious management problems in addition to a loss of an estimated Tk.69.9 million in the jute sector alone...

Foreign secretary\\\'s ill-timed visit to New Delhi

The Foreign Ministry has been a different one since the Awami League (AL) returned to power in January 2009 compared to what it was in the AL's term of 1996-2001. In the 1996-2001 term, there were two major achievements in...

Sustainability of local technology

Sustainability is a great concern in today's world. And in order to achieve something sustainable there must be a research environment within the country, and we must remain prepared to adopt any kind of technological innovations. Numerous agricultural and livestock...

Bringing to an end indecency in the name of fashion show

Fashion shows of today are frequently held in venues without much of a background or even a theme. They are star-studded affairs that draw celebrities as well as buyers. They have become national and world-wide events that are recorded by...

Food crisis in Pacific realm

The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has warned about the food crisis in Pacific realm. Nearly 25 microstates exist in the Pacific realm, a vast ocean mass twice the size of the Continent of Asia, the largest continent in the...

Need to define blackspots for curbing road accidents

An accident black spot is a term used in road safety management to denote a place where road traffic accidents have largely been concentrated. At certain sites, the level of risk might be higher than the general level of risk...

Cycling saves cash and life time

The dreadful traffic condition in Dhaka city has led the commuters to search for an alternative mode of transport that would reduce commuting time and help avoid the notorious traffic congestion. Some citizens have found the solution to avoid the...

DNA tests identify 10 more Rana Plaza victims

The National Forensic DNA Profiling Laboratory has identified ten more Rana Plaza victims who were buried without identification, officials said. With the latest detection, the number of victims identified through DNA test rose to 210, causing a matter of little...

Steps taken to raise exports to SAARC member states

Measures have been taken to increase exports to the SAARC member-states against country's huge trade deficits, particularly with India. Official statistics say in the last fiscal year Bangladesh exported only US$700 million to Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal...

BIWTC net profit set to fall far below expected level

The net profit of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) is set to fall far below the expected level this fiscal year (FY) as recent political turmoil badly affected its commercial operation, a high official said. The BIWTC is...

Satellite towns can promote tourism

Tourism is considered a major foreign exchange earning industry in all developing countries like Bangladesh. It is also considered the single largest industry in the developed world. Bangladesh is a land of natural beauty. Tourism is yet to make remarkable...

Global RMG market: Bangladesh projected as \\\'Next China\\\'

Due to declining profit margins and capacity constraints in China, investors are looking at other lower-cost countries for making investment in ready-made garment (RMG) industry, and producing and sourcing garment products. Bangladesh's apparel exports could triple by 2020 as the...

Stocks edge up for second day

Stocks edged marginally up Thursday for the second running session as investors find the overall price level of most of the stocks attractive as the market suffered continuous setback in the last few sessions.The market opened with uptrend and the...

More Dutch FDI sought

Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu has called upon the Dutch investors to invest directly or relocate their sophisticated hi-tech industries in Bangladesh.The Industries Minister at a seminar Tuesday welcomed the FDI from the Dutch investors in different local prospective industrial...

Stocks positive at opening

Share prices on both bourses – Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) – witnessed upward trend in early hours of trading on Thursday, the last trading day of the week. DSEX, the prime index of the DSE,...

Surprise for road users

The government last Monday sprang a surprise for millions of road users. The cabinet at its regular weekly meeting on the day decided in principle to collect toll from them in varying rates. Luckily, however, the government is not in...